The Next Focus for Technology Strategic Planning

Virtual First is a strategic, focused roadmap on not only what has been put into place during the pandemic, but a specific focus on how to deliver services in the long term, based on a dispersed workforce not operating out of traditional brick-and-mortar government facilities. To facilitate the “new next”, we must all adopt a virtual-first mindset – how can we deliver these services virtually, first? Virtual delivery can be anything from staff working from home, or staff flexing from socially distanced hoteling spaces.

To be clear, there are many services that local government performs that will never be virtual first, nor should they be. However, I believe that the pandemic has dramatically shifted the way in which government operations may work and as technology leaders, we must be prepared for that shift.

To be successful in developing a virtual-first strategy, technology leaders must plan to address several key issues. Those include at a minimum:

1) Workforce Technology – Has technology been deployed to employees to facilitate Virtual First? This includes not only the PCs or laptops that staff are provided, but larger or dual monitors, telephony solutions that allow communications to be seamless regardless of location, etc. This also includes identifying those employees who may not have sufficient internet access from a remote location and how to address, if possible, the connectivity capability for those employees.

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Salary facts at a glance

As you can see from the table below, the average salary of people holding the either the CISSP or CISM is $20,000 more than what average Security+ certification holders earn. This salary difference is not surprising given that both CISSP and CISM are expert-level credentials geared to seasoned, experienced security professionals at the pinnacle of their careers, while Security+ is an entry-level credential.

Certifications do make a difference. IT professionals with certifications gain skills that enable them to perform more quickly, easily and confidently, which often translates into higher salaries. If you’re new to the IT security field and seeking to validate your skills to current or prospective employers, then the CompTIA Security+ is a great vendor-neutral credential that will add value to your certification portfolio. On the other hand, if you’re a seasoned security professional, you may want to take a closer look at the CISM or CISSP, since these certifications are a better fit for experienced security professionals.

If you have decided to pursue the Security+ certification and need some help to nail the exam, check out a practice test and study guide we created to support you in your certification preparation journey.

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GIAC Security Essentials (GSEC) vs. Security+ Certification

A leader in cybersecurity certifications, GIAC offers more than 30 credentials across six focus areas: penetration testing, management and leadership, development, digital forensics and incident response, industrial control systems (ISC), and cyber defense. Part of GIAC’s cyber defense certification portfolio, the GIAC Security Essentials (GSEC) is an intermediate-level credential targeting IT professionals who are able to perform practical, hands-on security tasks. To earn the credential, candidates must pass a rigorous five-hour exam. The credential can be renewed every four years by earning 36 CPEs and paying a $429 renewal fee.

Comparing the exam requirements for the GSEC and Security+ makes it clear why GSEC is considered an intermediate-level credential. The GSEC builds on the types of skills you would expect to gain through the Security+ credential but takes a deeper dive into the knowledge and skill base. GSEC also covers areas (such as Linux security and services) that are not listed among the Security+ topics. The GSEC would be an excellent credential to test for once you have earned the Security+.
What job roles are appropriate for those who pass the exams?

The job roles associated with the two exams are similar. Both are appropriate for people pursuing network administrator, security administrator and systems administrator careers. However, the sy0-501 exam also could assist people who wants to work as junior IT auditors and penetration testers; this was not the case with the previous version.

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Advance Your Tech Career

Even as unemployment rates reach into the double digits, IT is still hiring. Indeed, because tech is a vital part of nearly every successful business, IT remains one of the most stable career paths. Nevertheless, now is the time to beef up your skills in case your company starts to falter.

Additional certifications enabled Hernandez to move up from there. He says his CompTIA Network+ certification enabled him to work in a specialized support group helping Medtronic’s mobile sales team in the field. “In that role, I was exposed to more specialized systems and got my first taste of working through security incidents,” he said, spurring his interest in security.

Since then, Hernandez has earned his CompTIA Security+, CompTIA CySA+ and CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP) certifications and become a technology systems administrator for Eden Prairie Schools, where he earns a competitive salary. He manages large tech projects that serve 10,000+ students, staff and parents connecting daily. His specific role involves cybersecurity policies, vulnerability scanning and management, as well as MacOS/iOS administration using JAMF, which he’s also certified in
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Will the CCNA certification get me a job?

If you list a Security+ certification, you might be asked about the certification, or content that someone that passed the certification would be expected to know. If your answers indicate that your resume claim is incorrect, expect to be eliminated. As an example, if your resume indicates you have a certification but you admit during the interview that you don’t have it, expect to be eliminated.

You can also expect to be asked questions that will bring out your personality. These types of questions are rarely direct. However, how you respond, especially to questions you aren’t prepared to answer, help people understand you better. You won’t hear questions like the following list, but interviewers are often curious about the answers to them just the same.
Are you a goal-setting achiever? Or are you are a quitter?
Do you enjoy participating in a team to help the company succeed? Or are you out for yourself only.
Are you friendly and look for the best in people? Or do you carry a chip on your shoulder looking for the worst in others?
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Threats and Threat Assessments

A threat assessment helps an organization identify and categorize threats. It attempts to predict the threats against an organization’s assets, along with the likelihood the threat will occur. Threat assessments also attempt to identify the potential impact from these threats. Once the organization identifies and prioritizes threats, it identifies security controls to protect against the most serious threats.

Organizations have limited resources, so it’s not possible to protect against all threats. However, threat assessments improve the security posture of any system or application by ensuring that the resources aren’t squandered on low-priority threats. Some common types of threat assessments are:

Environmental. An environmental threat assessment evaluates the likelihood of an environmental threat occurring. For example, I live in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and while we’re concerned about the natural threat of hurricanes during the hurricane season, we aren’t very concerned about earthquakes. My sister is a business continuity expert and she lives near San Francisco and works in Silicon Valley. She helps companies prepare for risks associated with earthquakes there, but she spends very little time or energy considering the risk of a hurricane hitting San Francisco.

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understanding of A+ and Network+ terminology

Given the increased content volume on the SY0-501 exam very few training vendors will be able to bring students up to speed on A+ and Network+ content during a week of Security+ training. A candidate should have commensurate skills before taking an SY0-501 class in order to gain optimal benefit from the class or toward exam preparation.

CSA+, Cyber Security Analysis+ requires at least 3 and suggests 4 years of IT or technology experience. This credential requires a much higher level of analytical knowledge and skills guiding and leading more detailed preparation and response to cyber threats. This is now considered the intermediate security credential. Related, intermediate cybersecurity job offerings are touted as the fastest growing career sector within the IT industry.
CompTIA CASP, CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner certification is considered the most advanced security credential available through CompTIA /Pearson Vue. CompTIA recommends 5-10 years of hands on technology security experience, and equates the credential to the CISSP credential offered
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CASP+ Address Enterprise Risk Management

As organizations transition to a remote workforce due to the immediate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, cybersecurity teams face new security challenges. We read about cyberattacks daily and the increase in phishing and malware attacks.

Many companies were not prepared to go fully remote and have been forced to modify their IT security stature and risk management practices. In fact, 59% of risk managers responding to a recent survey by the Risk Management Institute reported their organization had not given any consideration to a pandemic risk, and 94% of respondents feel that the post-COVID-19 world will strengthen the case for risk management. Now more than ever, it is imperative that cybersecurity professionals stay up to date with their skills and knowledge.

The CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+) certification addresses the competencies required for resilient risk management practices. It also validates advanced-level enterprise security operations and architecture, research and collaboration, and integration of enterprise security.

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Opportunities and Challenges Facing States

While the initial challenge in the early stages of the pandemic were necessarily focused on the physical challenge of migrating an unprecedented number of government employees to work from home and supporting the move by procuring enough hardware and network capability, the secondary impacts will largely focus on the need to increase cloud adoption, secure new network vulnerabilities, and adopt policies that promote effective and efficient remote work environments.

Many state and local governments have begun to grapple with evaluating the cost of continuing to operate physical office space against the benefit of maintaining a remote workforce. While there are costs to moving employees to full or part-time remote work, many are asking themselves if the benefits truly outweigh those of maintaining physical offices.

Each state will need to determine this for themselves, but there seems to be consensus that all states will see a sustained need to increase remote work opportunities both for business continuity purposes and to meet an increased demand by employees to work from home. If state and local governments wish to be successful in continuing to provide remote work opportunities to employees, the same level of criticality that was applied during the initial months of the pandemic needs to be continued to solve network capabilities, security vulnerabilities, and policy issues in a timely manner.
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The Importance of Multi-Vendor Cloud Skills

I heard from an IT industry vice president recently that mergers and acquisitions were starting to “take off again.” The effect of this is that if a large enterprise running Amazon Web Services (AWS) acquires two or three smaller organizations running Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud, then cloud engineers would need to understand not just the vendor platform, but the technical underpinnings of the cloud itself so they could work between all the elements of the full cloud stack.

Some enterprises might run multiple infrastructure as a service (IaaS) platforms for years, requiring staff to be able to operate between the major platforms. IT pros who have CompTIA Cloud+ understand the danger of vendor lock-in, and this certification validates they have the skills and knowledge to work across multi-vendor systems.

CompTIA Cloud+ is intended as a mid-career certification, for IT pros with 2 to 3 years of systems administration experience.
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obtaining the CompTIA Security + Certification

The certification in turn shows that you have the apt skills to retain the systems and network safe and secure. With this certification you can boast yourself as a security expert and pursue variety of opportunities in both public and private sectors.

The recommendations required for obtaining the CompTIA Security + Certification include minimum two years of experience in the field of IT administration, with a focus on security issues. Also candidates should have sufficient experience in the field of providing regular daily technical information security. An advantage for candidates is the possession of a CompTIA Network+ Certification, which is recommended before applying for the CompTIA Security + Certification.

In addition to the Security+, CompTIA also offers a more advanced certification, CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP), providing a progressive certification path for those who want to continue their security career. Like Security+, the CASP covers security knowledge across a number of knowledge domains, but the depth and complexity of the questions asked on the CASP exam exceed those of the Security+.
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How Do Practice Tests Help You Earn CompTIA A+ Certification?

CompTIA A+ practice tests are intended to help you pass your 220-1001 and 220-1002 exams. Obtaining them now becomes easier than ever.

Practice tests will help you in outlining all the test pitfalls they’ve gone through. This will guarantee you great results in your CompTIA exams.

Practice tests will make you familiar with the exam questions and answers by scoring your results to prepare for the test comprehensively!

Confirming your skills through the CompTIA A+ certification and relevant exams is the only way you can prove your commitment to succeed in the ever-expanding IT world. Acquiring tech skills isn’t something to be overlooked or neglected.

Assure to go for skills that will help you promote your professional career that others may lust after. Starting here might be difficult, but the moment you engage yourself in the learning, things will fall into place!
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CompTIA Security certification will set a baseline for your career

The CompTIA security certification can put your resume under the spotlight. There are employers who acknowledge the value of security certification and often make it a necessary basis for different cybersecurity positions. With the new update on the CompTIA SY0-501, the growing requirements of the cybersecurity can be met. This has increased the demand for security certification in the market.

You will be recognized as an expert

Most of the employers consider hiring professionals who can demonstrate that they are qualified to perform the given tasks. The CompTIA certification you will obtain will serve as an authentic prove, you have the knowledge and skills required to perform the task. This will enhance your value in the eye of the employers.

Becoming a certified security expert is not an easy task and it will surely take some time. You cannot become a security expert in a single day. However, the main fact is earning CompTIA Security + certification worth all the efforts. There is never the right time to pursue the Security + certification, you have to make it right by enrolling into the CompTIA Security + training and certification course at ProICT Training.

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comptia a+ certification Other Types of Jobs

While these two are the best jobs you can secure after a CompTIA network+ certification, the list of opportunities overall is not so restrictive. There are multiple other jobs where this certification will help you become one of the most sought after candidates.

Here are some of these jobs:
Network Analyst
System Engineer
IT Consultant
Network Support Specialist
Computer Technician
Pre-requisites for This Certification:

While some background experience in IT and an A+ certification is highly recommended by CompTIA, its not mandatory and experienced professionals as well as beginners can take get themselves enrolled in the courses for this certification.
Read over all the performance-based questions and answer the ones you are most comfortable with first; leave the ones you are less confident about until the end
If you are not sure about some of the steps in the performance-based or drag-and-drop questions, give it your best guess, you may receive partial credit.

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CompTIA Mentored Learning Offers

As the world shifts to work from home and on-line education due to the Pandemic, CompTIA has expanded its online IT learning programs to train people to fill hundreds of thousands of open tech jobs. One of our most popular offerings is CompTIA Mentored Learning.

This flexible program offers online instructor-led workshops. Students can learn at their own speed, their own level and at their own convenience all with the support of experienced instructors to guide them through the learning process. For many, especially those who have jobs but want to expand or develop their IT skills, this program is a great option.

The mentored learning program delivers the right balance between self-paced and classroom-based courses including labs. It includes access to CompTIA IT Fundamentals (ITF+), CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+, CompTIA Security+ and CompTIA Project+ with Business Skills certifications and students can build their program with stackable certification pathways. With more than 2 million IT certifications issued worldwide, CompTIA has developed certification exams that map directly to today’s IT job roles.
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Build your own desktop computer for a+ jobs

CompTIA A+ Certification exams test you on a large amount of hardware knowledge. One of the most rewarding experiences you can have in IT is the satisfaction of building your first computer. Few things are so intimidating and yet so simple. Building a desktop computer is an exhilarating way to familiarize yourself with hardware and components. The muscle memory and time-intensive process teaches you in a way that reading and watching just can’t. Building a desktop helps clarify what the RAM, HDD, SSD, GPU, CPU, MOBO and a host of other acronyms mean. CompTIA A+ exams have MANY questions covering a large spectrum of hardware and software knowledge that is required at an entry-level Information Technology job. Building a desktop gives you experience in setting up an OS, running through a BIOS, hardware differences, selecting case and motherboard type, and much more. It is a great way to feel confident on exam day, knowing that the hardware portion of the CompTIA exam is not just theory but real world practice.

The CompTIA A+ certification is considered a starting point by many people in the IT field, as it demands no prerequisites, and introduces candidates to a range of fundamental hardware and software disciplines, including PC repair, software and operating systems, desktop support, networking and cyber security. The A+ curriculum even covers basic interpersonal communication skills - a key attribute for enduring success the IT workforce.
A+ study time: 90 days
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WHAT IS COMPTIA A+ CERTIFICATION?

What is CompTIA A+ certification? Put simply, a CompTIA A+ certification is an entry-level qualification for computer support technicians that demonstrates their competence in PC repair and maintenance. It is one of the most popular and widely recognised qualifications of its kind in the world.

The CompTIA A+ certification is sponsored by CompTIA (the Computing Technology Industry Association), a group that comprises many of the world’s leading IT companies. While CompTIA sponsor a number of certification, the A+ certification is the most general, making it ideal for those at the start of their careers in IT support.

If this is a career path you’re interested in, you might want to sign up to a CompTIA A+ course. But what exactly will you learn? Here, we lay out all the facts.

One thing to note here is that all certifications from CompTIA issued post 2011 are valid only for a period of 3 years. The certification can be kept relevant through CompTIA’s Continuing Education Program. For certified professionals enrolled in the Continuing Education Program, the higher-level certifications that will grant full credit for a CE certification renewal include, but not limited to, Cisco, EMC, HP, IBM, Microsoft, ISC(2), Novell, Oracle and Red Hat. This list also serves as a pointer to the fact that these vendors place a premium value to CompTIA’s certification.

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Certified Network Defender Certification

Certified Network Defender Certification has a detailed structure, consisting of 14 domains. Each domain fixates on essential theoretical concepts, followed by a collection of tools and techniques needed in the industry. This is a skill-oriented course that focuses on operations and real-time analysis of network. It provides you with exceptional knowledge of vulnerability assessments and network maintenance. The topics covered in this course are:
Computer Network and Defense Fundamentals
Network Security Threats, Vulnerabilities and Attacks
Network Security Controls, Protocols and Devices
Network Security Policy Design and Implementation
Physical Security
Host Security
Secure Firewall Configuration and Management
Secure IDS Configuration and Management
Secure VPN Configuration and Management
Wireless Network Defense
Network Traffic and Monitoring Analysis
Network Risk and Vulnerability Management
Data Backup and Recovery
Network Incident Response and Management

While working in a real-time environment, we come across different situations. Every situation calls for a different approach, which is exactly what CND trains you for. Certified Network Defender course offers hands-on experience of the tools being used in industries.
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CertBlaster and ExamNotes Match

CompTIA Network+ Study Guide for Network plus N10-007 free, we need your help. ExamNotes will not be “all it can be” without your watchful eyes. At the bottom of each post, there is a field labeled “Leave a Reply”. If you see a typo, a grammatical error or anything at all, no matter how insignificant looking, please let us know! All your fellow students will benefit if you do! Let’s keep this Free Study Guide for Network plus N10-007, free!

When implementing basic disaster prevention and recovery methods you will address the following:
Backup and recovery

– Image level

– File level

– Critical applications
Backup testing
UPS
Surge protector
Cloud storage vs. local storage backups
Account recovery options
Mobile device synchronization adds a new concept to the existing ones by requiring you to perform synchronization with the automobile. You will need to know the connection types used as well as the types of data. Passwords have been added to the Synch data. You will also need to know how SSO authentication applies in the mobile environment.
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What Do You Need to Know about the CompTIA A+ Certification Exams

To receive the CompTIA A+ certification you have to pass two exams, 220-1001 (Core 1) and 220-1002 (Core 2). These exams were recently launched (January 2019) with the following new objectives:
Demonstrate standard security skills for information technology (IT) professionals
Configure various operating systems, including Windows, Linux, Mac, Chrome OS, iOS, and Android, and manage cloud-based and client-based software
Troubleshooting and problem solving of service and support issues while using best practices for scripting, change management, and documentation
Supporting basic IT networking and infrastructure
Support and configure mobile, PC, and IoT (Internet of Things) devices
Deploy basic backup and recovery methods for data, as well as data management and storage best practices

The first exam, Core 1, covers hardware, networking technology, mobile devices, cloud computing, virtualization, and networking troubleshooting. The Core 2 exam tests your knowledge of software troubleshooting, installing operating systems, configuring operating systems, operations procedures, and expanded security. Each exam has about 90 questions, of which there are multiple-choice questions, drag and drop questions, and performance-based questions. You will have an hour and a half to complete each exam.

Passing requires that you score at least 675 for exam #220-1001 and 700 for #220-1002 on a scale of 100-900.

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What is New in CompTIA A+ Core 220–1000 series

I already passed CompTIA A+ 220-901, but i haven’t taken 220-902 yet. Is it possible to take 220-902?
No, Its not possible because CompTIA 220-901& 902 was expired on 31st July 2019 now 1001&1002 series are the certification exams for A+. If want to achieve A+ certification start your preparation from the first because CompTIA doesn’t allow two different series for the same certification.

20. What does the A+ Core 1 exam consists of?

CompTIA A+ Core exam covers in the areas of Mobile devices, Networking technology, hardware, virtualization and cloud computing and network troubleshooting.

21. What is New in CompTIA A+ Core 220–1000 series?
A greater dependency on networking and device connectivity
General extension of base line security concepts for the IT Support role, including physical vs logical security concepts, measure, malware and more.
A dramatically different approach in defining competency in operational procedures including basic disaster prevention and recovery and scripting basics
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